HKEX plans to launch Sustainable and Green Exchange

Steffy Bogdanova
June 18, 2020 10:44 am

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced its plans for launching the HKEX Sustainable and Green Exchange, ‘STAGE’. The new information platform will be a central hub for data and information on sustainable and green finance investments in Asia.

The new HKEX exchange will promote the visibility, transparency and accessibility of sustainable and green finance across asset class and product type. On STAGE investors will have access to a comprehensive database of sustainable and green investment options, available on Hong Kong’s securities markets.  The exchange will also act as a education and advocacy platform, promoting knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement in sustainable finance.

Grace Hui commented:

The launch of STAGE demonstrates HKEX’s strong commitment to sustainability. By encouraging issuers, investors, asset managers, market participants and advisors to play an active role in enhancing the sustainable and green finance ecosystem in Hong Kong and the region, we are in turn reinforcing the sustainability of our own market.

Grace Hui added:

Our goal is to help issuers raise awareness of their sustainable and green financial products, whilst also offering investors and asset managers easy access to information for their due diligence, selection and monitoring.

HKEX plans to launch Sustainable and Green Exchange Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced its plans for launching the HKEX Sustainable and Green Exchange, ‘STAGE’. The new information platform will be a central hub for data and information on sustainable and green finance investments in Asia. The new HKEX exchange will promote the visibility, transparency and accessibility of sustainable and green finance across asset class and product type. On STAGE investors will have access to a comprehensive database of sustainable and green investment options, available on Hong Kong’s securities markets. The exchange will also act as a education and advocacy platform, promoting knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement in sustainable finance. Grace Hui commented: “The launch of STAGE demonstrates HKEX’s strong commitment to sustainability. By encouraging issuers, investors, asset managers, market participants and advisors to play an active role in enhancing the sustainable and green finance ecosystem in Hong Kong and the region, we are in turn reinforcing the sustainability of our own market.” Grace Hui added: “Our goal is to help issuers raise awareness of their sustainable and green financial products, whilst also offering investors and asset managers easy access to information for their due diligence, selection and monitoring.” STAGE will accommodate an archive of information on sustainability, green and social bonds and ESG-related Exchange Traded Products listed on HKEX. Issuers with products in line with the international standards or principles and providing post-issuance reports annually can join STAGE without fees and display their products on the platform. The online archive will be launched later this year. HKEX will keep developing the platform in line with the evolving market landscape. Over time STAGE can expand its coverage with more asset classes and product types, including derivative products linked to relevant sustainability or environmental, social and governance indices, as well as other sustainable and green financial products. The region has seen significant growth of sustainable and green investment funding in recent years. Green bond issuances in Asia-Pacific increased to record levels in 2019, reaching US$18.89 billion, Mainland China’s green bond market alone accounted for US$8.13 billion. Hong Kong played an important part in this development. The increasing amount of green bonds arranged and issued in the local market hit US$26 billion by the end of 2019.

STAGE will accommodate an archive of information on sustainability, green and social bonds and ESG-related Exchange Traded Products listed on HKEX. Issuers with products in line with the international standards or principles and providing post-issuance reports annually can join STAGE without fees and display their products on the platform. The online archive will be launched later this year.

HKEX will keep developing the platform in line with the evolving market landscape. Over time STAGE can expand its coverage with more asset classes and product types, including derivative products linked to relevant sustainability or environmental, social and governance indices, as well as other sustainable and green financial products.

The region has seen significant growth of sustainable and green investment funding in recent years. Green bond issuances in Asia-Pacific increased to record levels in 2019, reaching US$18.89 billion, Mainland China’s green bond market alone accounted for US$8.13 billion.  Hong Kong played an important part in this development. The increasing amount of green bonds arranged and issued in the local market hit US$26 billion by the end of 2019.

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Experienced writer and journalist, working in the global online trading sector, Steffy is the Editor of LeapRate. She has previous experience as a copywriter and has been with the company since January 2020. Steffy has a British and American Studies degree from St. Kliment Ochridski University in Sofia.
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